Article written by Anahata Ishaya & Hwaneetah 

versión en español

When we were children, we lived naturally in the present moment. Life unfolded with simplicity and innocence. We laughed fully, cried fully, explored freely, and rested when we were tired. We did not analyze our joy or plan our wonder. Instead, we simply lived. 

So, what changes? 

As we grow older, the intellect takes the lead for many of us. The mind’s function is to travel between past and future: remembering, predicting, planning, and protecting. While this capacity is useful, it often becomes dominant if we let intellect take the steering wheel of our lives. Slowly, we stop inhabiting the present and begin living inside thoughts, in automatic mode. The result is familiar to many of us: chronic stress, inner tension, constant anticipation, the list goes on. 

We fear repeating the past in a future that hasn’t even arrived. The body responds as if danger is always near—adrenaline stays high, the nervous system rarely rests, and control becomes a survival strategy. And yet, here lies the great paradox: we cannot actually control life. 

We can plan and prepare for hundreds of different scenarios, but control itself is an illusion. Life is movement — a dance, full of change and mystery. The fear of what might happen keeps us gripping tightly, and that rigidity prevents the transformation we long for. In other words, when we are controlling, we are not listening. When we are rigid, we are not available. 

The good news is that this way of being as children is not something we lose forever. It is something we forget and can remember again. Being aware of the present moment invites something else during plant medicine preparation, ceremonies, and life. 

Read on to learn more about why presence is medicine in ceremony and life. 

The Invitation of the Here and Now: What Is Presence?

The present moment offers a different way of living rooted in participation rather than resistance. When we soften our grip and open to what is happening now, we begin to recreate ourselves moment by moment, responding to life as it actually is, not as we imagine it should be.

Instead of focusing on the past, the future, endless to-do lists, worries, the phone, or any other distractions, you can begin to root in the truth of the present moment and become more present every day. 

After all, doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result is exhausting. Presence interrupts this cycle and creates the space we need to fully enjoy life. So, where can you begin? We invite you to explore each moment with fresh eyes:

• Without expectations
• No rehearsing outcomes
• Stop trying to control the unfolding

This awareness of the present moment allows you to meet life with curiosity and innocence, just as we once did as children. And the benefits of focusing on the present moment are endless, from improving concentration and listening skills to sharpening intuition, connecting you to your inner self, and helping you stay the observer rather than get caught in the storms of the mind. 

Cleaning the Window of Perception

Most of us move through life as if looking through a window clouded by experience. Past wounds, conditioning, beliefs, and emotional memories tint our perception. We don’t see life clearly; we see it filtered, each one of us with our own unique tint, unable to engage fully with what is in front of us. 

The good news is simple and powerful: the window can be cleaned. The product? Awareness. Awareness cleans perception.

When awareness is present, we see more clearly. When perception clears, our relationship with life transforms—how we relate to our bodies, our emotions, our relationships, and the medicines we work with. This clarity is not about fixing ourselves. It’s about seeing without distortion.

Scarcity, Giving, and the Flow of Life

A perception of scarcity teaches us to give less—to life, to others, to ourselves—in the name of safety. We hold back time, affection, generosity, presence… and still hope life will give us everything in return.

Presence reveals a deeper truth: life responds to how we meet it. When we open and give more attention, honesty, care, and presence, we begin to receive more. And when we give fully, we often receive more than the mind could ever imagine.

Fear loosens. Trust grows. We stop living in defense and begin living in relationship with life. Unconditional love becomes a guide, moment by moment.

Presence as Medicine in Plant Ceremonies

In plant medicine ceremonies, the present moment is not optional; it is essential. You may have heard advice about plant medicine, such as surrender or trust. Well, presence allows you to follow these plant medicine ceremony tips and lean into the moment, embracing all the healing benefits the master plants offer. 

Medicines such as Ayahuasca and San Pedro (Huachuma) amplify perception. They bring subconscious material to the surface. They move energy through the body, heart, and mind. Without presence, this intensity can feel overwhelming. With presence, something different happens.

Presence allows us to:

• Stay grounded when sensations intensify.
• Observe visions without becoming lost in them.
• Feel emotions without resisting or suppressing.
• Let the teachings move through the body rather than getting trapped in the mind.

Presence creates safety within the nervous system, allowing the medicine to do its work intelligently. Many challenges in ceremony arise not from the medicine itself, but from leaving the present moment, such as slipping into fear, memory, or anticipation. When we return to now, the body remembers how to breathe, how to soften, how to trust.

Presence is what allows integration to begin during the ceremony, not only afterward. You let go of resistance or suffering and step into a conversation with the plant medicines. 

The Trap of Future Happiness

So many of us live with an unconscious belief: “When I have this… when I become that… then I’ll be happy.”

Everything is projected into the future. And then one day, we achieve “this” or “that.” And something still feels missing.

What’s missing? You. Presence brings you back into your own life. 

Happiness does not live in a future achievement. Peace does not arrive when conditions are perfect. Clarity does not come from control. They arise when you are here.

From Control to Flow, Panic to Calm 

As awareness grows, clarity follows. We become present in the moment and begin to trust. For example, when something changes, we adapt. We don’t force things in our lives; we flow.

Each step then becomes joyful because we are actually there for it. This is not passive living. It is participation in life. In other words, this is the bliss and clarity of awareness. 

We can then begin asking different questions during ceremonies and our everyday lives, not from fear, but from curiosity:

• What am I choosing right now?
• Am I enjoying the view on the way to the mountain top?
• What am I giving at this moment?
• What am I discovering about myself?
• Am I being compassionate—with myself, with others, with life?

When each moment is lived fully, calm naturally arises. You are then able to respond rather than react, and live life connected to your true essence inside: more confident, flexible, and in trust, flowing like water. 

Living the Medicine of Presence Daily

Presence is not reserved for ceremony. It is meant to be lived daily. When you are present, some of the benefits include:

• Your relationships soften
• Your decisions become clearer
• Your body relaxes
• Your intuition strengthens

Think of it this way: when you give joy, joy reflects back. When you embody beauty, you create beautiful things. When you live with presence, life meets you there.

An Invitation: Discovering the Power of Presence

Presence is not an idea to understand. It is a practice to embody. 

At Ayllu Medicina plant medicine retreats, we say that the whole week is a ceremony, from the food to the Ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies. When you bring presence into your daily life, even brushing your teeth or washing the dishes becomes medicine! 

Presence is the medicine you keep with you. It is a relationship you can remember and develop. It is a way of walking through ceremony and through everyday life.

And you can start today! Try it, whenever you can, moment by moment. Once you notice what unfolds when you are truly here, there is no return! 

How to Become More Present: Tools and Support 

Many of us wish to be more present in conversations, relationships, and, in general, in our everyday lives. Yet, without a mindfulness or meditation practice, the mind can quickly take the lead once more. 

The solution is to have tools and techniques to come back to the present moment. A good place to start is paying attention to your breath, one task at a time, or to your senses; what can you see, smell, taste, and touch in this moment? 

To begin to deepen your practice of discovering the power of presence and staying in the moment, we recommend a meditation practice. Meditation is at the core of our Ayllu Medicina retreats, helping participants in plant medicine preparation, ceremony, and everyday life. We have retreats with availability from February to June during this 25/2026 season! We’d love to meet you at one of our plant medicine retreats, for a week of transformation in nature, discovering the magic of the present moment and how to live from this space.

Anahata is our medicine guide’s (Hwaneetah’s) mum. She is an Ishaya meditation monk and teacher. You can connect with her and take her meditation course for a deep dive into these ascension meditation techniques and allow presence to become your nature. 

Click the links below or contact us directly to learn more. 

https://www.facebook.com/portal.juaica
https://www.instagram.com/constanzaballesterosb/
anahataishaya@gmail.com

Article written by Anahata Ishaya and Hwaneetah 

Descubriendo el Poder del Momento Presente

Por qué la presencia es medicina, en ceremonia y en la vida

Cuando éramos niños, vivíamos de manera natural en el momento presente.
La vida sucedía con simpleza e inocencia. Reíamos por completo, llorábamos por completo, explorábamos sin esfuerzo y descansábamos cuando el cuerpo lo pedía. No analizábamos la alegría ni planeábamos el asombro: simplemente estábamos vivos.

Esta forma de habitar la vida no se pierde para siempre.
Se olvida… y puede ser recordada.

A medida que crecemos, el intelecto toma el mando. La mente cumple su función viajando entre el pasado y el futuro: recuerda, anticipa, compara, planifica, intenta proteger. Esta capacidad es útil, pero cuando domina nuestra experiencia, dejamos de habitar el ahora y comenzamos a vivir atrapados en el pensamiento.

El resultado es conocido:
estrés constante, tensión interna, anticipación permanente.

Tememos repetir el pasado en un futuro que aún no ha llegado. El cuerpo responde como si el peligro fuera continuo: la adrenalina se mantiene activa, el sistema nervioso no descansa y el control se vuelve una estrategia de supervivencia.

Y sin embargo, aquí aparece la gran paradoja:
no podemos controlar la vida.

Podemos planificar.
Podemos prepararnos.
Pero el control es una ilusión.

La vida es movimiento, cambio y misterio.

El miedo a lo que podría suceder nos mantiene rígidos, y esa rigidez nos impide realizar los cambios que realmente necesitamos. Cuando controlamos, no escuchamos. Cuando nos endurecemos, dejamos de estar disponibles.

La presencia nos invita a algo distinto.

La Invitación del Aquí y Ahora

El momento presente nos ofrece otra manera de vivir, basada en la participación consciente y no en la resistencia.

Cuando soltamos la rigidez y nos abrimos a lo que está ocurriendo ahora, comenzamos a recrearnos momento a momento, respondiendo a la vida tal como es, y no como creemos que debería ser.

Hacer siempre lo mismo esperando resultados diferentes agota. La presencia interrumpe ese patrón y abre espacio.

Hoy te invitamos a mirar cada instante con ojos nuevos:

• Sin expectativas
• Sin anticipar resultados
• Sin intentar controlar el devenir

Nos encontramos con la vida desde la curiosidad y la inocencia, como cuando éramos niños.

Limpiar la Ventana de la Percepción

La mayoría de nosotros vive como si mirara la vida a través de una ventana empañada por experiencias pasadas, heridas emocionales, creencias y condicionamientos. No vemos la realidad tal como es, sino teñida por nuestra historia.

La buena noticia es simple y profunda:
esa ventana puede limpiarse.

La conciencia limpia la percepción.

Cuando la conciencia está presente, vemos con mayor claridad. Y cuando la percepción se aclara, se transforma nuestra relación con la vida: con el cuerpo, las emociones, los vínculos y también con las medicinas que acompañan nuestros procesos.

La claridad no consiste en arreglarnos, sino en ver sin distorsión.

Escasez, Entrega y el Flujo de la Vida

La percepción de escasez nos lleva a dar poco: poco tiempo, poco amor, poca presencia… todo en nombre de la seguridad. Y aun así, esperamos que la vida nos lo devuelva todo.

La presencia revela una verdad más profunda:
la vida responde a la manera en que la habitamos.

Cuando nos abrimos y damos más —atención, honestidad, cuidado, presencia— comenzamos a recibir más. Y cuando entregamos por completo, muchas veces recibimos mucho más de lo que la mente puede imaginar.

El miedo se afloja.
La confianza crece.
Dejamos de vivir a la defensiva y comenzamos a vivir en relación.

El amor incondicional se convierte en guía, instante a instante.

La Presencia como Medicina en Ceremonias

En las ceremonias con plantas maestras, el momento presente no es opcional: es esencial.

Las plantas amplifican la percepción. Traen contenidos del inconsciente a la superficie, movilizan energía en el cuerpo, el corazón y la mente. Sin presencia, esa intensidad puede resultar abrumadora.

Con presencia, algo distinto sucede.

La presencia nos permite:

• Mantenernos enraizados cuando las sensaciones se intensifican
• Observar visiones sin perdernos en ellas
• Sentir emociones sin resistirlas ni reprimirlas
• Permitir que las enseñanzas se integren en el cuerpo y no solo en la mente

La presencia genera seguridad en el sistema nervioso, creando las condiciones para que la medicina trabaje con inteligencia.

Muchas dificultades en ceremonia no provienen de la planta, sino de salirnos del presente: caer en el miedo, en recuerdos o en anticipaciones. Cuando regresamos al ahora, el cuerpo recuerda cómo respirar, cómo aflojar, cómo confiar.

La presencia permite que la integración comience durante la ceremonia, no solo después.

La Trampa de la Felicidad Futura

Muchas personas viven con una creencia silenciosa:
“Cuando tenga esto… cuando logre aquello… entonces seré feliz.”

Todo queda postergado para el futuro. Y cuando finalmente eso llega, algo sigue faltando.

¿Qué falta? Tú.

La presencia te devuelve a tu propia vida.

La felicidad no vive en un logro futuro.La paz no llega cuando todo está resuelto. La claridad no nace del control. Surgen cuando estás aquí.

Del Control al Fluir

A medida que la conciencia crece, la claridad aparece. Estamos presentes. Confiamos.

Si algo cambia, fluimos. No forzamos.

Cada paso se vuelve gozoso porque realmente lo estamos viviendo. Esto no es pasividad; es participación profunda.

Es la dicha de la conciencia.

Comenzamos a hacernos nuevas preguntas:

• ¿Qué estoy eligiendo en este momento?
• ¿Estoy disfrutando la vista mientras subo la montaña?
• ¿Qué estoy dando ahora?
• ¿Qué estoy descubriendo?
• ¿Estoy siendo compasivo conmigo y con los demás?

Cuando vivimos cada instante al cien por ciento, la calma surge de manera natural.

Vivir la Medicina en lo Cotidiano

La presencia no es solo para la ceremonia. Es para la vida.

Cuando estás presente:

• Las relaciones se suavizan
• Las decisiones se aclaran
• El cuerpo se relaja
• La intuición se fortalece

Cuando das dicha, la dicha regresa. Cuando encarnas belleza, creas cosas bellas.
Cuando vives presente, la vida te encuentra ahí.

Una Invitación

La presencia no es una idea que comprender.
Es una práctica que encarnar.

Es medicina. Es relación. Es una forma de caminar —en ceremonia y en la vida cotidiana.

Ponlo en práctica. Momento a momento. Y observa lo que se revela cuando estás verdaderamente aquí.

Artículo escrito por Anahata Ishaya y Hwaneetah

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anahataishaya@gmail.com